1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to lawn blower/vacuums and mulchers, and more particularly to a collecting and bagging apparatus for leaves and lawn debris, to be used in conjunction with a conventional lawn blower/vacuum or mulcher and utilizes conventional disposable trash bags.
2. Background Art
Some models of conventional leaf and lawn blower/vacuum and mulching devices provide a collection bag that is attached to the exhaust tube or discharge tube of the device to capture the vacuumed yard debris and are adapted to hang from the user's shoulder. Other models of conventional leaf and lawn blower/vacuum and mulching devices have an exhaust or discharge outlet which is integral with the housing and provide a collection bag that is attached to the device housing or the exhaust or discharge outlet of the housing to capture the vacuumed yard debris. Most conventional collection bags are bulky and awkward to handle. Typically, the conventional collection bag is formed of heavy air permeable material so that the exhaust air passes through the sidewall of the bag to the atmosphere and the vacuumed debris and/or mulched material is entrained inside the bag; and the bag is provided with a zipper for opening the bag to empty the contents.
One of the problems with the conventional air permeable collection bags is that the exhaust air circulates through the bag contents and the air that passes through the sidewall the atmosphere can contain airborne dust particles and other small particles, and can be inhaled by the user. Even if the user wears a dust mask and goggles, they will be covered with dust from the collection bag. Another problem with the conventional air permeable collection bag is that it requires frequent cleaning because the pores of the bag become clogged by the airborne dust particles and other small particles circulated inside the bag.
Still another problem with the conventional air permeable collection bags is that the contents of the bag has to be transferred by hand to larger containers or plastic bags in several steps which is time consuming and difficult to accomplish cleanly and easily. Typically, in this process the user will place a conventional plastic trash bag or trash can liner inside of a garbage can, detach the air permeable collection bag, carry it to the lined garbage can, unzip the collection bag, dump and or/scrape the contents into the lined garbage can, seal the plastic trash bag or trash can liner, lift the trash bag or liner from the garbage can, and then insert another plastic trash bag or trash can liner inside of the garbage and start the process all over again as the collection bag gets full. Again, the user is exposed to airborne dust particles and other small particles during the steps of detaching the air permeable collection bag, carrying it to the lined garbage can, unzipping the collection bag, and dumping and or/scraping the contents into the lined garbage can.
Ritter, U.S. Pat. No. 6,988,293 discloses a collection system for lawn blower/vacuums, which includes a port coupling fitted to the exhaust port of a blower/vacuum, a dust cover, and a specially designed disposable biodegradable plastic collection bag. Both sides of the collection bag has several rows of T-shaped slits and two rows of straight or I-shaped slits that allow air to escape from the bag but retain the leaves and lawn debris deposited therein. The collection bag is shaped to fit inside the dust cover that is fixed to the port coupling. The dust cover envelops the collection bag and shields the operator from the dust that passes through the collection bag.
Marcum et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,829 discloses a leaf receptacle lid having a porous conduit that is removably connected to the hose outlet of a blower/vacuum and contains a vertical chute and an overhanging horizontal lip. The chute is adapted to hold a flexible leaf receptacle and the overhanging lip is adapted to rest upon a support. The lid also contains a hinged door having an opening connected to the frame.
Miner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,714 discloses a blower/vacuum system, wherein the debris is passed through a fan housing to an outlet and to a dual-porosity collection bag having front, top, bottom, and side portions fabricated from a fabric having a first air flow porosity and a rear portion fabricated from an another fabric having a second air flow porosity that is higher than the first air flow porosity so that the entire fabric surface will function to exhaust the air flow with the major portion of the air flow flowing through the rear portion to direct the exhaust air and any dust and other particles away from the user.
Kelber, U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,858 discloses a leaf collection apparatus having a long flexible and extendable tube detachably secured at one end to a blower/vacuum and secured at the other end to a shroud or skirt. The shroud or skirt fits over and attaches to the top of a large centrally located container, such as a trash can, with a quick-release fastening mechanism.
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned problems and is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular, by a leaf and lawn vacuum bagger having a housing which is removably attached to the exhaust outlet of a conventional leaf and lawn blower/vacuum or mulching device, and a conventional disposable trash bag is releasably attached to the housing, which captures the vacuumed yard debris. When the bag is full or otherwise, it may be easily detached and sealed and another bag easily affixed to collect more vacuumed leaf and yard debris. Alternatively, the vacuumed leaf and lawn debris can be collected and retained in the housing for later removal.
In a second embodiment, the housing has an open top end with a flexible sleeve removably attached to the bottom end of an air permeable bag by a zipper attachment and the air permeable bag is connected to the exhaust outlet of a conventional leaf and lawn blower/vacuum or mulching device, and a conventional disposable trash bag is releasably attached to the bottom end of the housing, to capture the vacuumed yard debris.